The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-01-26
THE FORTY-NINTH CONGRESS
Another Presentation of the Great Ma
tiOnal Farce of Woman Suffrage.
The Proposed Amendment Favored by Messrs.
Dolph and Blair, and Promptly Defeated by
the Customary Two-Thirds Majority.

WE'LL Senator-elect from the State of Illinois, es-
corted by Mr.. Cullom. had the oath of Office ad-
ministered to him by the presiding officer and
took the seat recently occupied by Mr.. Cullom.
while the latter took that OF the late Senator
Logan.
Mr.. Plumb, in presenting a petition in favor
of letting the people Of the Districts Columbia
vote on the question of the manufacture and sale
Of intoxicating liquors, remarked that he was IN
favor Of the petition and in favor OF comforting
the right Of suffrage on the citizens of Washing
ton for municipal purposes, and of making Wash
ington the best illustration of the republican idea
Of self-government. He believed that it would
conduce to the comfort of Congress- the welfare
of the people of the District and the glory of
republican institutions.
Mr.. Allison presented the conference report on
the army appropriation bill. He stated that
most Of the amendments were formal and that
the total amount appropriated in the bill is
$23 724 718, being $28, 1913 less than the appropr
alton of last year.
Mr.. Hawey thought this good opportunity
to inquire of Mr.. Allison what had become of
the Notifications bill of last session.
Mr.. Allison suggested that Mr.. Dawes. chair
man Of the conference committee on that bill,
| could explain the matter best.
| Mr.. Dawes said that the conference commit
tee the Notifications bill had held two or three
| sittings last session, and had been unable to
agree. Immediately the assembling of this
| session, the conference committe had been
| called together and had held several meetings
| without being able, as yet, to agree. He was
not certain that it would be proper for him 10
state what the differences were. There was
/ some prospect, however, that. in some shape,
| there would be an early agreement The con-
| ference had been interrupted by the absence OF
| two of the House conferees The differences
1 rno1 20 h. ~Alsa nhnrc aH IN h0 a
/ tween doing substantially nothing and appro-
| priatng SIS, 0OO, 900 or Sc 600. 900 to begin the
work. There seemed to be lack OF confidence
| on the part Of some of the House conferees In
/ those who would have TO execute the law under
| the existing administration He thought that If
| the conference committee could be induced to es-
| tabllsh new bureau for the purpose OF execut-
ing the law. good deal of the difficulty could be
| got over
| The conference report on the army appropria-
] ton bill was then agreed to.
| Mr. Dawes, from the conference committee on
the bill to provide for the allotment of lands In
severalty to Indians on the various reservations,
| and to extend the protection of the laws of the
| United States and of the Territories over the In
1 dians, made a report.
Mr. Dolph inquired whether the limit of
| twenty five years fixed as the time before which
the lands owned by Indians could be alienated
| had been reduced.
Mr.. Dawes replied that it had not been. The
| time limiting the power of alienation be-. uot
been reduced: the contrary, the President
was authorized to extend the limit in particular
cases. AS soon as the Individual Indian took up
his allotment he was to have patent, which
| paieht would be held by the government for
twenty-five years, at the end of which time he
| was to get patent in fee. After further ex-
PLANTATION the conference report was agreed to-
| Mr.. Hoar from the committee on privileges
and elections reported in the of the petition
| OF three residents of Washington county, Texas,
| alleging that they and others had been unlaw-
fully deprived Of the right of suffrage in that
| county. a resolution instructing the committee
to inquire into all the circumstances. with power
! to send for persons and papers and to employ y
| stenographer
| Mr. Salisbury member of the committee
said that he had voted against the report in
committee, and would vote against it in the
| Senate.
Mr.. Eustis, another member of the commit
| tee. made a like statement
| The report and memorial were ordered printed
and went over for the present.
The resolution offered by Mr.. Call. some time
since-amended to instruct the Attorney.
general to bring suit for an injunction against
the Florid Railway and Navigation Company
was called up.
Mr. Morgan addressed the Senate in opposition
to it. Mr.. Morgan was still speaking when the
hour of o'clock arrived, and the presiding off
Ger announced the regular order to be unfinished
business-the bill to establish agricultural ex
perimental stations.
Mr.. Blair moved to lay aside the unfinished
business and to take up the proposed woman
suffrage constitutional amendment. Carried
-25 to 16.
Before proceeding with consideration of the
suffrage resolution, the Chair announced hi!
signatures to the interstate commerce bill.
The following is the text of the proposed
amendment:
The right of citizens OF the United States to vot,
shall not be denied abridged by the United State
| or by State on account of SEX Congress shall hav
power by appropriate legislation to enforce the pro
| visions of this article
Mr. Brown addressed the Senate in opposition
He said woman now exercised an imperceptib
| influence in public affairs much greater than sh
could il female suffrage were enacted. 1t nigh
be n qualification to small minority of women
! but it would be cruelty to the large majority o
them The most ignorant and less refined por
tions of the female population Ito say nothing o
. the baser classes) would flock to the polls, Will
! refined intelligent and virtuous women 'woul'
stay at home. Thus there would be vast pre-
ponderance of ignorance and vice at the polls
Things were bad enough now In that connection
a Was the Senate ready to expose women to sucl
decentralization, and the country to such strail
in order merely to crafty small minority at tn
8 expense of modification to a large majority? H
!, regarded the movement as an attempt to revers
/ the very laws of being
t Mr.. Dolph favored the resolution. The stag
> of ridicue OF the movement was past. This res
n oluton might not pass: but the time not fla
9 distant when. in every State and Territory
n woman would be admitted to an equal voice i
n the government, whether the federal Constitr
Q ton be amended or not. No measure involvin
. Sucn radlcai changes In society nao mace sue
It great progress the women's suffrage move
!, ment. since the first convention in favor Of
h was held in 1848 at Seneca Falls, N. Y.
:. Mr.. Eustice inquired of Mr.. Dolph whether
did not think, if woman had the right of SUI
frage che ought also to be req uired to serve O
n jures
a Mr. Dolph said that that did not necessaril
!. follow There was no connection between jur
service and RICH. of suffrage But in WasDin!
a ton Territory, where women had the right
suffrage they also served on jurles, and to til
q great satisfaction of judges and lawyers
4 Mr. Eustice understood that. under all Stat
# laws, those duties were considered correlativ
:. He asked whether it was decent spectacle
y take away mother from her nursing infant an
II keep her up ali night, sitting jury.
n Mr.. Dolph replied that there was nothing